Historical footage: Impressions of some greats

Here is some excellent footage of Bedser, Edrich, and DVP Wright bowling during the 3rd Ashes Test, 1948. The round arm bowler whose action resembles Lindwall is Edrich I think. DVP Wright is obviously quick for a leggie and looks very good at first glance in my opinion.

Then there is footage of Lindwall and Miller bowling. Note how fast Miller's bouncer is. There is also a fair amount of action showing Dooland and Toshak. Both pick up wickets bowling to attacking fields. The highlight is Dooland taking a blinding caught and bowled to dismiss Wally Hammond. The 15 minute reel finishes up with McCool bowling a couple of innocuous overs.

I think that you're right Fred even though the Pathe people entitled the footage '1948'.

Lindwall seems more 'round-armed' than I remember, especially when he is viewed running away from the camera. But that resultant inswinging yorker must have been a nightmare for any left-handed batsman.

Here is some footage from the Lords Test of 1926. It is notable because it is the only footage of Frank Woolley batting that I have been able to find. There is about a minute of Woolley in action from the 10 min 20 sec mark, and a crashing off-drive at the 21 minute mark (someone correct me if it's Chapman instead).

For those who like Larwood and Tate there is extensive slomo action (side-on) during the first 10 minutes. The left-armer with them is probably Roy Kilner rather than Woolley.

Here is some footage from the Lords Test of 1926. It is notable because it is the only footage of Frank Woolley batting that I have been able to find. There is about a minute of Woolley in action from the 10 min 20 sec mark, and a crashing off-drive at the 21 minute mark (someone correct me if it's Chapman instead).

For those who like Larwood and Tate there is extensive slomo action (side-on) during the first 10 minutes. The left-armer with them is probably Roy Kilner rather than Woolley.

Fantastic footage. Is that Tate bowling before Larwood? From my unscientific breakdown based on watching a lot of cricket, based the trajectory of a ball from hand then Tate (or whoever it was) shows he was was bowling approx 70 mph +- 5 mph. Then Larwood came on and he blew my mind. Firstly the ball could barely be seen, secondly the difference in the backing up by the non striker was hilarious and finally the trajectory of the ball from hand showed him to be rapid. Not shades different from the others but a whole new colour. I wouldnt estimate a speed like I can for the medium pacers but it was damn quick.

Wonderful to watch and thanks for posting.

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Fantastic footage. Is that Tate bowling before Larwood? From my unscientific breakdown based on watching a lot of cricket, based the trajectory of a ball from hand then Tate (or whoever it was) shows he was was bowling approx 70 mph +- 5 mph. Then Larwood came on and he blew my mind. Firstly the ball could barely be seen, secondly the difference in the backing up by the non striker was hilarious and finally the trajectory of the ball from hand showed him to be rapid. Not shades different from the others but a whole new colour. I wouldnt estimate a speed like I can for the medium pacers but it was damn quick.

Wonderful to watch and thanks for posting.

The England bowlers for that match were Larwood, Tate, Root, Kilner, and Woolley. Fred Root (relative of Joe Root?) was also right-arm fast-medium like Tate, but with that left boot pounding into the wicket, followed by a heavy follow through, it has to be Tate I reckon. Also, with the right-arm finishing-up wrapped around his left-hip it is no wonder that he swung the ball so much. What a bowler.

Here is John Arlott's description of Maurice Tate;

Consider him: at slow or fast-medium, his approach never varied; two short walking paces, six running strides and a four-foot leap. Apparently clumsily built, with heavy, drooping shoulders; deep chest; wide bottom; strong legs and large feet, yet, when he gathered himself to bowl he was a splendidly rhythmic physical specimen. In the moment before delivery, when the left arm pointed high and the right was drawn back like a great trigger, he was the essence of poised power. Then he plunged through in the most perfect action that can be conceived. The left foot drove into the ground so fiercely that George Cox tell how, especially when the ground was wet, he felt it shake under him as he stood at cover point. When Maurice Tate was on song, the great swing of his arm in the follow through often swept the ground so savagely as to scrape blood from his finger joints. When the sea-fret descended on the Hove ground he was - legendarily in his own time - unplayable.

His best ball was the outswinger; though sometimes he made the ball go the other way. Harold Gilligan, who often captained him, thought that when Tate asked for another short leg he was beginning to tire. At his best he bowled to three slips, gully, third man, cover, mid-off, mid-on and square short leg. He always wanted his wicketkeeper standing up to the stumps - to aim at - which some found difficult; and was possible only because of his immense accuracy.

He has been likened to Alec Bedser and certainly they were both fast-medium bowlers; but technically they were quite different. Tate never commanded the leg-cutter as Bedser did. He bowled 'long-fingered"; seam between index and second fingers and, from his high action, let the ball do the rest. Once he bowled out Frank Woolley who, as he passed him, said 'You meant that to go the other way."'I never know which way it's going," said Maurice, 'so I'm bloody sure you don't."

His great gift was pace off the pitch. In his pairing with Arthur Gilligan it was said that Gilligan was positively faster through the air: but Tate was quite as fast off the wicket. Frank Lee recalls Tom Young, the old Somerset pro, telling him when he first went out to face Tate: 'Play forward to him for the first hour." Feeling 'in", Lee played back and the ball was through him before he could line it up.

In that suspension of an apparent law of physics Maurice Tate was unique. Where others came through little more than half-stump high, he, in his great era, made the ball snarl about the knuckles. For more than a dozen years no batsman in the world was his master.

Not exactly historical as such, but here is some black n' white footage of Bedi, Chandra (bearded) and Prasanna in action (15+ min mark) against Pakistan in 1978. There is also a very young Kapil Dev and Kirmani at his lightening best. It is the first time I have seen Prasanna bowl and my first impression is a chest-on bowler who generates most of his speed from the shoulder. Basically the opposite of an off-spinner like Laker who pivoted on his left-foot and put a lot of body into his action. I particularly liked Chandra's medium paced top spinners.